2021 Western Yunnan Journey: South of the Colorful Clouds
Yunnan Province, abbreviated as Dian, is said to be named after 'South of the Colorful Clouds.' Located on the southwestern border of China, it is one of the provinces with the longest land borders, sharing boundaries with Myanmar, Laos, and Vietnam. Among China's 56 ethnic groups, Yunnan is home to 25—more than any other province. I first visited Yunnan back in 2010 with colleagues, and the comfortable climate, picturesque scenery, rich ethnic customs, and tempting cuisine left me with deep memories. Taking the provincial capital Kunming as the center, there are wonderful places to explore in every direction—east, south, west, and north. One trip to Yunnan is never enough. At a class reunion in 2019, an old classmate suggested a trip to western Yunnan, and we immediately agreed, planning to set off after the Spring Festival the next year. However, a sudden global pandemic in Spring 2020 disrupted our plans. The trip was postponed again and again until May 2021, when we finally made it happen. We would complete the journey in a self-drive rental car, starting from Kunming and passing through Mojiang, Lincang, Tengchong, Dali, Shangri-La, Lijiang, and Yuanmou before returning to Kunming, covering a total of 18 days.
Day 1: May 3, 2021. Our group of four (my mother, my aunt, my wife, and me) flew from Shanghai Hongqiao Airport to Kunming on China Eastern's newest wide-body Boeing 787. The wider seats and ample legroom made the three-hour flight much more comfortable. The high-tech dimmable windows, which needed no shades, added fun to the journey. Around 4 p.m., we landed on time at Kunming Changshui Airport and were picked up by a rental car service staff member to their parking lot near the airport. After completing the rental procedures, we drove straight to the Haigeng Dam on Dianchi Lake, timing it perfectly. Although the vast flocks of black-headed gulls had left Dianchi by May, it was still a special experience to feel the gentle breeze by the lake, admire the sunset, and leisurely wait for nightfall. After sunset, as dusk set in, we dined at Old Dian Mountain Stronghold, a restaurant full of Yunnan ethnic character, and then checked into the Atour Hotel on Chunrong Street near Kunming's municipal offices.
Day 2: After breakfast, we headed to the Luchong Scenic Area of Fuxian Lake, 50 km from Kunming and part of Yuxi City. It was still the May Day holiday period, but I thought Fuxian Lake, compared to many classic Yunnan attractions, was relatively off the beaten path and didn't expect huge crowds. In the end, the facts proved I underestimated people's enthusiasm for travel. With outbound tourism still closed due to the global pandemic, domestic scenic spots during the holiday were packed. We faced a long queue of cars at the parking lot entrance and struggled to find a spot until we finally squeezed into a remote corner. The endless lake water and waves lapping against the sandy shore felt almost like being by the sea. The unique fishing tools had now become an Instagram-worthy photo backdrop. After lunch, we drove more than three hours along the highway, covering 250 km to reach Mojiang County, China's only Hani autonomous county. Before entering the town, we visited the Tropic of Cancer Marker Park. From the highest point in the park, we could clearly see the Tropic of Cancer running through the town. Mojiang is also famous as the 'Home of Twins'—the whole county has over a thousand pairs of twins, and an International Twins Festival & Hani Sun Festival is held here every year. After checking into the Mojiang Gemini Star Hotel, we enjoyed a Hani-style dinner at the Mojiang Hani Family Restaurant.
Day 3: Breakfast done, we set off for Lincang, driving 250 km along the newly opened Tianhou Expressway in about three hours. By noon we arrived at Wende Yutang, a restaurant in Lincang that utterly amazed us. We hadn't expected such an aesthetically pleasing restaurant in a small county town. The decor was as artsy as its name, and a light drizzle during the meal gave off a hint of Jiangnan charm. After lunch, we lingered over tea in the cozy atmosphere before heading to the Cloud-Top Nesting Tea Manor Hotel in Shuangjiang. The hotel sits atop a tea mountain in Shuangjiang County, 90 km from Lincang. After turning off the G214 national highway onto a 10-km winding mountain road, we arrived around 3:30 p.m. This was also the rendezvous point I had agreed upon with my classmates; their group of four flew from Shanghai to Pu'er, then drove via Jinggu to join us that afternoon, officially kicking off our western Yunnan trip. The first group photo after the successful reunion. The hotel was nestled among misty alpine tea gardens, surrounded by lush green, like a fairyland. Spacious and elegant rooms with huge balconies offered fantastic views. Strolling along the mountain boardwalks through the tea plantation, standing among waves of green tea bushes with crisp air, felt like a paradise away from the world.
Day 4: Waking up to the crow of roosters and crisp birdsong, the morning glow filled the sky. After breakfast, we set out for Cangyuan as planned, but halfway there we were stopped at a road checkpoint leading into Cangyuan. It turned out that the Mengding border port with Myanmar is in Cangyuan County, and due to pandemic prevention, a permit was required for entry and exit. We had no choice but to turn back. Back in Shuangjiang near noon, we found a Wa-style restaurant—Wa Lai Manor—for lunch. After discussing with our travel buddies, we decided to visit the 10,000-mu Wild Ancient Tea Tree Garden in Shuangjiang in the afternoon. After navigating the last 20-odd km of unpaved, bumpy dirt mountain roads, we finally reached the tea garden deep in the mountains. However, it wasn't an open tourist spot but a protected area. After some persistent persuasion and handing over all ignition sources, the staff finally let us in. Beyond the checkpoint, the rough dirt road continued. Soon we reached an observation tower. To see the millennium-old tea trees, we would have had to hike about 3 km through primeval forest, but considering safety and stamina, we decided to give it up. So we climbed the tower instead, and the panoramic views made the trip entirely worthwhile. A group photo to mark our visit, hehe! Descending the dusty mountain roads, we had dinner at the Near Water Restaurant in Mengku Town before returning to the hotel.
Day 5: After breakfast, we left the Cloud-Top Nesting Tea Manor Hotel for Tengchong, a journey of 466 km. Since the Tianhou Expressway was not yet fully open, we alternated between highway and national road. Approaching Tengchong, we passed the Longjiang Bridge, a super engineering marvel on the Baoteng Expressway. Below the bridge, the grand canyon was bottomless. Around 6 p.m., we arrived at our destination, Heshun Ancient Town in Tengchong, and checked into the Listen to Clouds Villa Lake View Inn. The antique-style decor and floor-to-ceiling windows treated us to beautiful scenery at any moment. As night fell, we had dinner at a restaurant right next to the inn.
Day 6: Early morning, the ancient town in the dawn light was serene and soft, making one feel at peace and comfortable. In the morning, we visited Simola Wa Village in Qingshui, Tengchong. The whole village, surrounded by green hills, burbling springs, and fresh air, truly embodied its Wa language meaning: a happy place. In the afternoon, we headed to Tengchong's most famous scenic spot: Tengchong Rehai (Hot Sea) Scenic Area. The moment we entered, a sulfur smell assailed us, and steaming hot springs appeared in various forms. Walking along paths where the heat seeped through our shoes, we marveled at nature's wonders. The most famous, spectacular 'Big Boiling Pot' was a sight to behold—we even boiled eggs beside it. Afterwards, we relaxed in the Bath Valley hot spring within the area. Back in the ancient town for dinner: Cun Daguan Private Kitchen. It was an astonishing meal! Advance booking was a must to taste this deliciousness. There's no menu; the proprietress matches dishes to the day's ingredients and number of diners. We arrived holding the wall (from hunger) and left clutching it again (from overeating). The best meal of the entire trip, bar none!
Day 7: At our inn, Listen to Clouds Villa Lake View Inn. Next to it, a beautiful Wild Duck Lake. After breakfast, at the invitation of a tea factory friend of our traveling companions, we visited a tea garden and factory hidden deep in the mountains, as well as millennium- and century-old tea trees. At noon, a Tengchong friend of our companions hosted us for lunch at the West Dong Compound. The complex covers 18 mu and belonged to the Dong family, a prominent clan in Tengchong. The Dongs were philanthropists, donating three fighter planes and helping build the Burma Road during the Anti-Japanese War, and later contributing to the construction of the National Cemetery to honor fallen Chinese Expeditionary Force soldiers. Today, West Dong Compound is a free tourist attraction combining jade business, cuisine, and preservation of ancient villages. After lunch, we paid our respects at the Western Yunnan War Memorial Museum and the National Cemetery. Then visited the natural waterfall in Tengchong city: Dieshuihe Waterfall. Before and after dinner, we strolled around the ancient town.
Day 8: Today we would leave Heshun Ancient Town. Early in the morning, a light drizzle made the town unusually fresh, giving us a different kind of ancient town charm. Following our itinerary, we braved the rain and headed to Yuanxiang Qihua Ridge. The moment we entered the scenic area, the rain stopped—how lucky! The purple verbena flower sea was stunning! Vast expanses of fragrant roses, and freshly baked rose cakes that were incredibly aromatic and delicious—the best I've ever had, no doubt! From a high observation deck, we gazed into the distance at the volcanic columnar joints known as the 'Divine Pillars' by the Ruili River. At noon, relying on the powerful internet, we found a roadside restaurant on the way to Beihai Wetland for lunch: Beihai Yipinyuan Farmhouse Cuisine, with their super fragrant copper-pot rice. After a hearty meal, we visited Beihai Wetland. Huge floating mats of grass dotted the water's surface. We 'rowed' the grass mats on the lake. Flocks of waterbirds soared into the sky or played in the water, a scene of natural harmony. Tonight was our last night in Tengchong. We treated ourselves to a night at the Bodu Hot Spring Hotel, soaking in the hot spring pool on our balcony, gazing at the sunset over the volcanoes—two words: pure bliss!
Day 9: After a sumptuous breakfast buffet at the hotel, we drove out of Tengchong towards our next destination: Dali Ancient City. More than five hours later, in the afternoon, we arrived at the hotel near the Erhai Gate of Dali Ancient City: Wind Flower Snow Moon Dali Ancient City Manhua Branch. After checking in, we wandered the ancient town, sampled snacks, bought local specialties, and took it easy! (Insects on a stick—no way I was eating those!)
Day 10: Among Dali's four iconic images (‘wind, flower, snow, moon’), Cangshan Snow and Erhai Moon are two hallmark sights. In the morning, we took the Ximatan Cable Car up Cangshan Mountain. The top station sat at 3,900 meters above sea level. From there, it was about a 1,300-meter walk up and down steps to the Ximatan Viewing Platform. Gasping for breath, we trudged along, resting frequently. When returning tourists said there was no water in Ximatan and the alpine rhododendrons hadn't bloomed yet, I thought of giving up. But to me, the meaning of travel does not lie only in seeing many unknown beautiful scenes, but in the journey itself and engraving it all in memory! Finally, we reached the highest viewing platform. Ximatan was dry and waterless. From the cable car, we overlooked Dali Ancient City and Erhai Lake. After descending and having lunch, we visited the famous Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple. The reflection of the pagodas in Juying Pond looked like an oil painting. The central main pagoda: Qianxun Pagoda. Chongsheng Temple backed by Cangshan Mountain. At dinner, we suddenly noticed Cangshan completely capped by white clouds, resembling a snow mountain—breathtakingly beautiful!
Day 11: Having explored Cangshan yesterday, today it had to be Erhai Lake. After breakfast, we drove along the western shore of Erhai northwards. First stop, Panxi Village, an internet-famous spot filled with photographers wielding long lenses and colorfully dressed people striking poses. Erhai shimmered under the blue sky and white clouds; every snapshot looked like a masterpiece. So beautiful! At noon, we had lunch at Hanlin Restaurant in Xizhou Ancient Town, housed in an old Bai-style mansion. After lunch, we took a horse-drawn carriage for a real 'glancing view' tour of the town. In the afternoon, we reached the Shanshui Seaview Inn in Shuanglang Ancient Town on the eastern shore of Erhai. The inn was built right by the lake (sea). Sitting on the stunning lake-view balcony of our room, listening to the waves of Erhai and gazing across at Cangshan under blue skies and white clouds, pure enjoyment! Crepuscular rays (Jesus rays), rarely seen for me as a city dweller, were even more breathtaking in person than through my mediocre photography skills and gear. Due to thick clouds, we missed a classic sunset, but the sun setting behind the clouds was also quite pretty!
Day 12: It was already day 12 of our trip. Tomorrow our travel companions would end their journey and head back to Shanghai, while we four would continue our western Yunnan trip towards Shangri-La! Today was mainly for relaxation. We slept in, then after breakfast, lazily drank tea, cracked sunflower seeds, chatted, and daydreamed on the balcony. At noon, while hunting for food in Shuanglang, we passed by Yang Liping's Sun Palace, long famous in the old town. Though entry was free, a purchase was required to look inside—such a trap! We decisively gave it a miss. After lunch, we drove south along the eastern shore of Erhai, continuing our lake loop. It felt just like being by the ocean. All kinds of photo-tour cars along the way spontaneously formed a convoy. We made a stop at Dali's 'Santorini'—actually a hotel and commercial complex officially named 'Dali · Ideal Help,' an Instagram hotspot okay for photos, but I wasn't into such artificial scenes. On the way back via Little Putuo Island, we encountered more Jesus rays. In the evening, we had our final meal with our companions at 'The Landlord's House' restaurant in Shuanglang Ancient Town.
Day 13: Waking up early, we said goodbye to our buddies. The four of us embarked on the road to Shangri-La. En route, we first went to the First Bend of the Yangtze River in Shigu Town. Honestly, standing on the viewing platform by the river, I felt no sense of grandeur at all. Then I sent up the drone—from God's perspective, the dramatic hairpin bend of the Yangtze was truly stunning! Continuing along National Highway G214, shortly after passing Tiger Leaping Gorge Town, we drove onto the newly built, not yet fully opened Lixiang Expressway toward Shangri-La. Once fully operational, the journey from Lijiang to Shangri-La will shrink from five or six hours to about two, with vastly improved road conditions; traveling to Shangri-La will no longer be a tough task! Thanks to the highway, we arrived at Dukezong Ancient Town earlier than expected. We checked into a very Tibetan-style hotel in the town: Feifan Hotel. After a short rest, we visited Songzanlin Monastery, the largest Tibetan Buddhist temple in Yunnan, known as the Little Potala Palace. The temple, built on a mountain slope, had steep, high steps leading to the main hall. Then we headed to Napa Lake (Napa Hai). I wasn't sure whether to call it a lake or a grassland, as it's a seasonal natural lake. In late summer and early autumn, rainwater and meltwater swell it into a lake; from late autumn to early summer, the water recedes, revealing vast meadows—nature's magic! Driving along the loop road, we stopped frequently. Half lake, half grassland. Herds of sheep, yaks, and horses dotted the meadows. Back in the old town, we had a Tibetan yak hotpot for dinner. Beside Moonlight Square stands Giant Turtle Hill, crowned by the world's largest prayer wheel, as recorded in the Guinness World Records. Dukezong is at 3,300 meters altitude. By mid-May, after the sun went down, a chilly wind blew, making it incredibly cold. We'd left Shuanglang in short sleeves; even after changing to long sleeves and adding windbreakers, the cold was unbearable. After a brief stroll, we fled back to the hotel—the underfloor heating in our room felt heavenly. Tibetan compatriots dancing and singing cheerfully in the square, unfazed by the cold.
Day 14: Shangri-La has a well-established scenic area: Pudacuo National Park. The name alone sounds old-school, but during trip planning I read many unfriendly reviews of it. With only one day in Shangri-La, we opted for a newly developed spot: Balagezong Scenic Area, because its story captivated me—and it proved to be the right choice. The area's development started with building a road. Bala Village, an isolated paradise deep in the mountains, not even on maps before 2008. A villager named Sina Dingzhu, injured in his left eye by a splinter at age eight, needed medical care. Without a road, it took five days to reach the nearest hospital in Shangri-La; the delay left him blind in that eye. Seven years later, at fifteen, he left the mountains. Through hard work and diligence over a decade or so, he amassed tens of millions in assets. Yet he shunned a comfortable life and returned to his impoverished, isolated hometown, turning from a multimillionaire into a man heavily in debt. He spent over ten years building a 60-km sky road for his village and leveraged it to develop tourism, leading his community out of poverty. He is hailed as a modern Tibetan Yu Gong (the Foolish Old Man who moved mountains). The scenic area features sightseeing boardwalks, glass observation decks, and many structures reflecting Tibetan religion and culture, combining snow mountains, gorges, rivers, grasslands, and forests into one breathtaking destination. Absolutely worth a visit. Concrete shelters built over the winding mountain road to guard against falling rocks. The sacred Bhadarala Pagoda. Looking up at Gezong Snow Mountain. Overlooking the Shangri-La Grand Canyon. The historic Bala Village. From a balcony in Bala Village, gazing up at the holy Gezong Snow Mountain. A boardwalk built on a cliff leading to a viewing platform. A glass observation deck suspended in midair. The Shangri-La Grand Canyon. Near the entrance, on a cliff edge grows a millennium-old bodhi tree; most miraculously, the tree has grown a hand-shaped branch firmly grasping the rock face—nature's wonder!
Day 15: Today we set off back to Kunming. We'd originally planned to take the eastern loop from Dukezong via Baishuitai to Tiger Leaping Gorge, then to Lijiang, avoiding the same route. But hotel staff told us much of that road was under repair, extremely bumpy and prone to jams. After much deliberation, we gave it up and returned the way we came, via the newly built but not fully opened Lixiang Expressway directly to the Upper Tiger Leaping Gorge Scenic Area. Before we even entered, the thunderous roar filled our ears. We took an escalator down to the riverside viewing platform. The Tiger Leaping Rock in the middle of the river split the torrent into two, the immense power of the roaring waters truly awe-inspiring. A decade ago, on my first Yunnan trip, I'd visited Tiger Leaping Gorge but on the Lijiang side, which is now closed. On the way to Dali, two new bridges spanned the canyon: the blue one ahead was a railway bridge under construction, and the red cable-stayed one behind was the Jinsha River Bridge of the Lixiang Expressway. By afternoon, we arrived in Lijiang Ancient City and checked into Lijiang Chengyi Quying Inn near the south gate. Throughout the drive, the majestic Jade Dragon Snow Mountain loomed faintly in the distance; it was a pity I couldn't stop for photos on the highway. Having visited Lijiang before, we treated it just as a stopover. We toured the Mu's Residence in the ancient city and saw the iconic Waterwheel.
Day 16: Today we drove from Lijiang back to Kunming, the longest distance (550 km) of our trip. Passing through Huaping County, the hillsides were covered with fruit trees wrapped in white bags—upon closer inspection, they were mangoes! Roadside stalls built by farmers selling mangoes prompted us to stop and sample various varieties; they were sweet, fragrant, and incredibly delicious! Before evening, we reached Yuanmou Wumao Earth Forest, a very off-the-beaten-path scenic spot. The area was huge but almost empty. From the highest observation deck, the entire earth forest looked magnificent. Walking down among the formations up close, they resembled a vast sculptural ensemble, each with unique shapes offering endless imaginative interpretations. One couldn't help but marvel at nature's extraordinary craftsmanship. It's an excellent photography location—every casual shot is a masterpiece. I wonder whether it's unknown or for other reasons, but it's a pity that such fantastic scenery sees almost no visitors.
Day 17: We arrived back in Kunming after 8 p.m. last night and had a simple dinner of Yunnan's famous cross-bridge rice noodles, then checked into the Mehood Lijing Kunming High-Tech Branch. Today for lunch we dined at a popular lakeside restaurant, Fennel Xi Lou, near Cuihu Lake. Before lunch, we visited the Yunnan Military Academy, where Marshals Zhu De and Ye Jianying both graduated—one of China's earliest new-style army academies. In the afternoon, we went to the final scenic spot on our itinerary, the famed Stone Forest, for an 'Ashima quest.' In the evening, we enjoyed our last dinner of the trip at Ai Ruo Chun restaurant near the Golden Horse and Jade Rooster Square. I tasted the steam-pot chicken once again, which I'd fallen in love with a decade ago—still as delicious as ever!
Day 18: Around 3 p.m. today, our China Eastern flight touched down safely at Shanghai Hongqiao Airport, marking the perfect end to our 'South of the Colorful Clouds—Western Yunnan Journey.' From May 3rd, flying to Kunming, renting a car and driving through Mojiang, Shuangjiang, Lincang, Tengchong, Dali, Shangri-La, and Lijiang before returning to Kunming, we covered 3,100 km over 18 days. We left our footprints on high mountains and deep gorges, snow-capped peaks and grasslands, grand rivers and lakes, atop Cangshan's cloudy summit, and by the shores of Erhai. We sampled the distinctive cuisines of the Hani, Wa, Dai, Tibetan, Naxi, and other ethnic minorities. Staying in Heshun Ancient Town, Dali Ancient City, Shuanglang Ancient Town by Erhai, Dukezong Ancient Town in Shangri-La, and Dayan Ancient Town in Lijiang, we experienced the local flavors and customs. Surrounded by family and friends, the journey was filled with laughter and countless memories.
